btj Mr. Claude Grant in South Africa. 221 



[The Black-headed Oriole was found in all forested 

 localities from the Knysna, eastwards and northwards to the 

 Zamhesi. It is essentially a bird of the woods and forests, 

 and is wild and wary, keeping continually on the move and 

 uttering incessantly a loud clear whistle. It goes both 

 singly and in pairs, and usually keeps to the tops of the larger 

 trees. 



The soft parts are : — 



Adult. Irides rich red ; bill dark flesh-coloured ; legs 

 and toes slate-coloured. 



Immature. Irides brown ; bill black ; legs and toes slate- 

 coloured.] 



23. Hyphantornis nigriceps. 



P. Beira, Dec. (4). 



One adult male is typical ; another sexed as male, which 

 is as large as the male, closely resembles the female and is 

 probably a bird of the year. There is very little white on 

 the lower side of the female or young male. 



[The Black-headed Weaver was only found in the Beira 

 district, where it was not uncommon. It was mostly seen 

 in pairs and was breeding, although small parties of non- 

 breeding birds were noticed frequenting the native gardens. 

 The nests were hung in bamboo brakes or in the thin branches 

 of trees in damp situations, but unfortunately not one that 

 I examined contained eggs or young. In call and song this 

 species resembles the other Yellow Weavers. 



The soft parts are : — 



$, breeding. Irides rich orange; bill black ; legs and 

 toes horn-brown. 



? . Irides yellow ; bill, legs and toes horn-brown,] 



26. Hyphantornis spilonotus. 



Tv. Klein Letaba, July, Sept. (2) ; Woodbush, Dec, 

 Jan. (10) : Z. Jususie Valley, Dec. (2) ; Ngoye Hills, 

 Oct. (3) ; p. Coguno, Aug. (G). 



The series taken at Coguno in August is most inter- 

 esting ; it shews the males gradually assuming the bright 

 breeding plumage. The youngest of these is very like the 



SER. IX. VOL. V. K 



